Can machine learning be used to pass the Turing test?
Essentially yes.

The Turing Test is essentially a benchmark or challenge problem. It is a task that AI researchers would like to be able to solve.

Machine learning is a technique. It is a tool developed by AI researchers to solve various problems. Some kinds of machine learning are applicable to the Turing Test, but others are not. Machine learning is also applicable to a wide range of other problems.